Just Another New Girl
by abby44degrassi
Summary: A girl from Malibu has moved to Canada due to her fathers business. She has her own way of dealing with things and it gets out of control. She feels that nothing is really going for her... until she meets a mysterious boy who really cares about her.
1. Chapter 1

The Nicole Household: Malibu, CA

"Are you kidding me?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"No, I'm not 'kidding you'. We already enrolled you at a school and its all set. You are starting at Degrassi on Monday."

"Mom, you can't do this! I can't just move, the school year is almost over, why can't I just finish it? And my friends! What about my friends?"

"Make new ones." I just wanted to cry. Leaving all my friends behind? Moving to Canada? It was all too much to comprehend in such a brief moment.

"Dad doesn't even need to work. We have plenty of money!" I answered back, looking up at the high ceilings, hoping to convince my mom. She knows it's true. Money isn't a problem for us, but apparently communication is. This is the closest we have ever come to a conversation in years. I could see her struggling to find a comeback.

"Just go pack. It's not long before we leave this town."

Leave this town? She is ridiculous. I just exhale, leave the room, and walk upstairs before I express my true feelings. The last thing I need is to be grounded on my last week in Malibu. What's the point? And maybe the school has a great theater program…

The Next Week:

What a lame way to spend a Saturday night. Unpacking and filling my new room. I could really use a friend at this moment, oh wait, I don't have any. And to make my horrible life even worse, the school sent me a uniform… a uniform! My thoughts are cut short, like always, when I hear my mom yelling for me.

"Jaylenn, Hurry up! There are plenty more boxes that need to be carried up there."

I am about ready to just get out of here. She can do it if she wants it done. I lock my door and doze off into a much needed sleep.

Monday Morning:

I wake up to my alarm ringing right in my ear and roll out of bed. I walk straight to the bathroom and look in the mirror. "This is going to be a long day." I immediately dress into my uniform, brush my curly blonde hair and mask my face with makeup. Oh, can't forget my wrist bands to cover my little "secret". Finally I am ready to grab my stuff and head out the door, to my new life.

As I arrived to school, I had some doubts about this place. It seemed nothing like the private, all-girls school I had attended in Malibu. "I just need to find my locker now." I muttered to myself under my breath and walked into the school.

Just as I finally got the combination to work on my locker, I could see a guy with dark hair and red uniform standing next to me out of the corner of my eye. I thought maybe he wanted to talk to me, but I was scared to look at him. After a few frantic moments of paranoia in my head, I looked at over at the guy. He wasn't approaching me, he was just at his locker, but just then he looked at me too. I blushed. I never talk or even look at guys, because I don't understand them. Should I say something?

"Um, are you new here?" He asked. I didn't know what to say or how to say it.

"Yeah, yeah I'm new."

"Cool…" He walked off. I felt so stupid.

"Having trouble talking there?" I heard a voice behind me and I turned quickly. It was a guy with brownish hair.

"I guess. I don't usually socialize with guys. An all-girls school will do that to you."

"Well, you speak normal now." He laughed "I'm Adam."

I answered back, "Jaylenn."

"Nice to meet you, Jaylenn." Adam smiled and headed to his class. He seems nice, but I still feel stupid after the first incident. The first bell rings and I rush to English class. Despite the delay, I make it on time somehow. Of course, the guy with the black hair is sitting there, and so is Adam. Small school.

"Class, take your seats please. This is Jaylenn. She is here from California. Please make her feel welcome. Take any empty seat, Jaylenn." The teacher smiles at me and I look around for a seat. The first one I see is right in between Adam and guy whose name I don't know yet. Why is he all I can think about? I timidly walk over and take my seat and before I know it, class is over. Daydreamed through the whole thing. I look up and see the teacher talking to the mysterious guy, then to me. "Jaylenn, this is Eli. He is going to show you to your classes today. And if you need any help, just ask." She smiles and goes over to her desk, leaving just me and Eli.

We both start to head for the door and I think he is about to say something. "California, eh?"

Don't mess this up, Jaylenn. "Yeah. I miss it, but you gotta move on I guess."

"Why? I mean, why Canada?"

"I asked myself the same thing. I guess my dad's office moved or something." I stare down and play with my wrist bands, thinking of something to say.

"Hey, relax. I'm not _that_ intimidating, am I?"

"Intimidating? No… it's just… it's just I'm not used to really talking. I mean, I do talk. Me and my friends just kind of got each other, you know?" Again, I feel stupid.

"Ah, well I really like talking to you. You can be yourself, you know." And finally we arrive at the classroom. That felt like forever. "I'll meet you back here after class to show you around some more." He smiles and disappears into the busy hallway. I smile and prepare myself for geometry.

End of Chapter One


	2. Chapter 2

After Geometry:

What a boring class… what a boring school… I'd much rather be in California right now. I walk out of geometry to find Eli waiting for me. Of course, I crack a smile. I probably look like an idiot right now. I barely know him, but he is the only thing I really care about at the moment. "Let's ditch this place." He says.

I think about it briefly. It's just what I need. "You read my mind."

"That's what I like to hear," he grins "Where to?"

"Um…"

"Right, you're new here. Coffee?"

"Alright." We find our way out of the school and run for the parking lot. He takes out his keys and I see the headlights of a hearse flash. "That's your car!"

"Yeah, that's mine. Unique, right?

"Definitely. It looks kind of beat up. A lot, actually." I hop in the passenger seat.

"Just a little accident is all." He gets in and we drive to The Dot. For a moment, I totally forget about my wrists and remove my wrist bands and bracelets. They were getting annoying. That was a huge mistake, because Eli looked down and saw my wrists. My wrist full of scars. He stares at me and I can't even look him in the eye now. I put my bracelets back on and act as if nothing happen, but that didn't last long. "Is there something you want to talk about?"

I am almost in tears. He probably thinks I'm weird or something. "The list goes on and on. You don't want to hear it." It's true.

"I told you, you can be yourself. I don't judge." His eyes meet mine and I'm lost. It all happened so quickly. A secret I have kept from everyone for years… it doesn't matter now, because he knows. And it is all my parent's fault. They never talk to me, or even care for me at all. And that's why I do it. I can't speak. "Well, you don't have to tell me, but just know that I'm here and I can help."

I have never heard those words from anybody before.

The Nicole Household: Canada

Yesterday Eli basically said I could trust him. I never trust anybody, but there is something about him. And I can't figure it out. Meanwhile, I get a text from Adam. He wants to meet me at some restaurant. So I pull myself together and head out. I don't bother telling my "parents" because they don't care about anything but their yachts and so called friends.

I find the restaurant and pay the taxi driver, but as walk closer to the door, I see Eli. Sitting with Adam at a booth. My face completely lights up and I run inside. Adam didn't tell me Eli was coming. "Hey guys," I take a seat. "Sorry I'm late, couldn't find the place."

"Glad you could come." Eli says while he smiles. Adam looks kind of confused and starts to speak.

"Um, I'll just let you two talk. Drew and I had plans, I forgot." And just like that, he is gone, which is kind of weird, because he told me to come to meet him. Not Eli.

"Like I said, I can help. Just tell me why." Eli says.

"You don't have to pretend to care." I only say this because I know he probably doesn't. Nobody does.

"I don't pretend." When he says that, I don't know what to say. I guess I could just tell him.

"It's my parents… and my 'friends'. My life basically." I can't even look at him.

"What about it."

I'll just let it out… "My parents, they don't listen. They don't care. They don't even talk to me, only to yell at me for something, anything. Really, I haven't ever had a conversation with them. They don't know me at all." I just feel like crying, because it's all true.

"They take you for granted. Don't let them do that" He is so calm when he talks about it, while I pretty much breakdown on the subject.

"How?" I ask.

"Run away." Is he serious?

"You don't understand. They wouldn't care at all… I wouldn't cross their minds." I wish I didn't tell him so much, I regret trusting anybody, even Eli. I thought opening up to people would make things easier, but I feel like I'm just reliving everything. I walk out and try not to cry, making a huge deal out of nothing. Too many emotions, it's been a long week.

Eli follows me out. "Wait, I want to talk to you." I turn around trying to wipe away my tears. "I can't pretend to know what you're feeling, but I do know what it's like to be misunderstood." He looks at me, and immediately, this stranger becomes my best friend. What happens next was so unexpected. He kissed me. And for once in my life, I didn't have to fake a smile.

End of Chapter Two


End file.
